Given the recent surge in deadly shootings, Woodland police are seeking funds from the U.S. Department of Justice for a grant to hire three more patrol officers, including one who would be assigned to Cesar Chavez school.

The council agreed to Police Chief Derrek Kaff’s recommendation to go after the money, which if approved, would provide up to $125,000, or $375,000 over the three-year grant period. After three years, the city would have to agree to keep the officers for at least one additional year.

“We got to do it,” said Councilman Tom Stallard.

“Let’s move forward,” agreed Councilman Angel Barajas, who moved the council approve the application. The vote was 4-0 in favor, with Enrique Fernandez absent.

Kaff said the application made sense from at least two perspectives. He said the city is growing and needed more officers on patrol, and that more officers might also enable the department to deal with increased violence.

Woodland has successfully been awarded Community Oriented Policing grants in the past. Three officers were hired in 1996 and 2015, a second school resource officer was hired in 1999, and two officers were hired in 2005 and 2009.

Woodland Police Chief Derrek Kaff talks about a COPS grant that would add three more uniformed officers to the department. JIM SMITH-DAILY DEMOCRAT

Similar applications in other years, however, have been denied.

The grant is divided into assorted categories and Woodland intends to apply under a section that covers “reduction of gun violence.”

“These three positions would be key in making progress against increased violence,” Kaff told the council.

But citywide growth shouldn’t be discounted, Kaff added. As the city gets larger, there are increased numbers of calls for service “year over year and the department is required to patrol an expanding geographic area.”

Getting the grant would help the department expand from a four-beat deployment model to a fully staffed fifth beat, which would require six more patrol officers. That would improve response times to such areas like Spring Lake and the city’s industrial area.

“By increasing the number of beats, each patrol unit would have a smaller geographic area of coverage and a reduced number of calls per beat that contributes directly to improved ability to increase pro-active problem-solving policing,” Kaff stated in a prepared report.

Two of the officers would be used on patrol while a third would be added to the School Resource Officer unit and assigned to Cesar Chavez school on Beamer Street. Students attending the school have either been suspended from mainstream schools, or on formal or informal probation.

Kaff told the council the department is working with the Yolo County Office of Education to make arrangements for being involved with Cesar Chavez school students. “We currently do not cover that school site.

“Our SRO’s work exclusively with the Woodland Joint Unified School District,” he added, “but based on the needs at Cesar Chavez … it’s critical that we are involved with the delivery of services to them and also receive intelligence from that specific school site.”

Since last October, there have been four people shot and killed and others who have been shot at in Woodland. Police believe most of the murders, as well as related shootings, are gang-related or retaliatory with several of the victims either current or former students of Cesar Chavez.

While the council did quickly signal its approval, City Manager Paul Navazio reminded them that this is the type of grant “you go after because there’s a grant out there … There is a commitment,” he said.

“We want to make sure the council is aware of the repercussions,” he added. “Tonight’s action is just to authorize the application. The real commitment comes if we’re awarded acceptance of the grant.”

Jim Smith is an award winning news and editorial writer and photographer who has been editor of The Daily Democrat since 1994. He has more than 37 years of professional newspaper experience as a reporter and editor for weekly and small daily newspapers. He has won numerous writing awards over his career as well as awards for photography and newspaper pagination as well as public service.